Balancing on
by Mourningdawns
Summary: He was their friend, their brother, their Reid. The baby, the genius, the innocent one. He was so many things. But right then, he was scared, he was hurt. And they couldn't make it better, not fast enough. Song drabble. Bonus material inside!


Pain. Fear. Terror, sheer bottomless panic as they watched Reid on the screen. He was their friend, their brother, their Reid. The baby, the genius, the innocent one. He was so many things. But right then, he was scared, he was hurt. And they couldn't make it better, not fast enough.

Tears filled their eyes as they watched him crying out in pain. They thought, maybe for a second, that he'd looked at the camera, that he'd looked at them. Just a small reminder that he was still there.

_Balancing on  
One wounded wing_

Reid closed his eyes as Tobias pushed up his sleeve. He didn't fight this time. He wanted to escape from his nightmare. Each time the needle pierced his skin, he hoped when he became aware again the team would've found him. He couldn't bear the horror; his body ached in protest of his abuses.

As relief flooded his veins, he let go of his pain and everything else as his world grew dark.

_Circling the edge  
Of the never-ending  
The best of the vanished marvels have gathered inside your door_

The team looked at each other as the feed shut-off. Morgan hit the door as he left the room. They were stunned. Stunned by what they'd seen, stunned by what they'd felt. Emotions were easily managed when they weren't connected to someone.

_More than begin  
But less than forget_

Reid didn't know where or when he was. He didn't know what was real and what wasn't. Images rushed past him, dragging him deeper into memories he had tried to forget…

_But spirits born__  
__From the not happened yet__  
__Gathering there__  
__To pay off a debt brought back from the wars__  
_

Garcia didn't remember crying out as Reid was pushed to the floor, his abused body shuddering violently, but she must have. Everyone gathered behind her, watching with horror.

_We thought we lost you_

No one could speak. They could only stare in fear.

_We thought we lost you_

JJ wiped tears from her eyes as Garcia let hers run down her cheeks. Hotch had his hand over his mouth, staring at Reid's still body, willing it to move.

_We thought we lost you_

"Guys…" They came in just in time to see Tobias giving Reid CPR. Suddenly, finally, Reid's body jerked and they all let out the breath they didn't realize they'd been holding.

_Welcome back_

They were on their way to find him now. To find their boy and bring him home. They just hoped they weren't too late.

_Sleeping for years__  
__Pick through what is left_

Reid knew the odds. 1 in 6 that the bullet would fire. 5 in 6 that it wouldn't, that Charles would get to him with that knife first. He also knew what his shooting was like. But he had to try.

Hotch's blood froze when he heard the gunshot. Reid…

Reid watched as Tobias faded away before he pulled the drugs out of his pocket. Maybe he needed to see what it was. Maybe he wanted more.

_Through the pieces that fell and rose from the depth__  
__From the rainwater well  
Deep as a secret nobody knows__  
_

Hotch reached the youngest agent first, pulling him into a tight hug. He didn't let go for a long moment.

_We thought we lost you_

JJ was next, the two of them nearly falling as they embraced. She murmured apologies that he barely heard.

_We thought we lost you_

Finally Gideon led him back to the cars, supporting his limping body. He didn't say anything at all, just kept a firm hold on him.

_We thought we lost you_

The plane ride back was silent. Reid stared out the window, watching the dark as they flew home. He closed his eyes and hoped everything would go back to normal.

_It will all come back_

AN: Lyrics from: Adventures in Solitude by The New Pornographers. I didn't like how this turned as I thought I would, so I did the logical thing and made a video and put it on youtube. :-/ Feel free to check it out, there's a link on my profile.

(If that doesn't work, search "Criminal Minds, Reid: Adventures in Solitude")


End file.
